Pneumatic nail puller

Abstract

A pneumatic nail puller tool for use with a standard needle scaler actuator. A needle scaler typically actuates a chipping hammer installed by means of a chuck. The nail puller tool is so sized and configured as to replace the chipping hammer and lock into its chuck. The nail puller, so installed, is useful in quickly removing nails from a work piece, even where a nail head is buried in the work piece. The nail puller includes a central shaft having a shank having flats and a detent seat for locking into the needle scaler chuck at one end and a nail removing claw at the opposing end. The claw is angled relative to the shaft to provide a lever point to assist in extracting the nail. The claw has sharp entrance points for digging into the work piece to grip an embedded nail head.

We claim:  
     
       1. A pneumatic nail puller, comprising: 
       a central shaft having a longitudinal central axis, a rear portion, and a front portion;  
       said rear portion forming a shank having at least two adjacent flats, said flats defining at least one corner;  
       said at least one corner of said shank having a detent notch located therealong;  
       said shank and said detent notch being sized and configured as to be received and held by a chuck of a pneumatic driving device;  
       said front portion of said central shaft forming a claw neck including a claw;  
       said claw having an upper surface and a lower surface and being mounted on said central shaft by said claw neck such that at an elevational angle of about 25 degrees from horizontal is formed between said lower surface of said claw and said central shaft longitudinal central axis;  
       said claw forming a “V”-shaped opening for receiving a nail head or a nail shank; and  
       said claw having sharp entrance points to assist in digging into the work piece to grip the nail head when embedded in the work piece;  
       whereby, when mounted in a pneumatic driving device, said nail pulling tool is moved in a reciprocating manner upon actuation of the pneumatic driving device; and, when said claw is inserted below a nail head in a work piece, said reciprocating nail pulling tool pulls the nail as the said claw is moved forward relative to the nail head.  
     
     
       2. The nail puller tool according to  claim 1 , wherein said claw has matching cutouts sized for a certain size nail to allow the said claw to fit over the nail head when engaging the nail in the work piece. 
     
     
       3. The nail puller tool according to  claim 1 , wherein said claw has matching cutouts sized to provide grip for leverage on a large-shanked nail. 
     
     
       4. The nail puller tool according to  claim 1 , wherein a “V”ridge is formed at the intersection of a claw angle wall and said “V”-shaped opening forming a concave recess leaving a ridge for the enhanced engaging of a nail head or gripping of a nail shank. 
     
     
       5. The nail puller tool according to  claim 1 , wherein said pulling tool is made of steel. 
     
     
       6. The nail puller tool according to  claim 1 , wherein said claw upper surface forms an acute elevational angle relative to said central shaft longitudinal central axis. 
     
     
       7. A pneumatic nail puller, comprising: 
       a central shaft having a front portion, a rear portion, and a longitudinal central axis;  
       said rear portion forming a shank;  
       said shank being sized and configured as to be received and held by a chuck of a pneumatic actuator; and  
       a claw neck having a claw mounted on said front portion of said central shaft;  
       said claw having an upper surface and a lower surface and being mounted on said central shaft by said claw neck such that at an elevational angle of about 25 degrees from horizontal is formed between said lower surface of said claw and said central shaft longitudinal central axis;  
       said claw upper surface forming an acute elevational angle relative to said central shaft longitudinal central axis;  
       said claw forming a “V”-shaped opening for receiving a nail head or a nail shank; and  
       whereby said nail pulling tool when mounted in a pneumatic actuator is moved in a reciprocating manner upon actuation of the pneumatic actuator; and  
       whereby when said claw is inserted below a nail head in a work piece said reciprocating nail pulling tool pulls the nail as the claw is moved forward relative to the nail head.  
     
     
       8. The nail puller tool according to  claim 7 , wherein said claw has sharp entrance points to assist in digging into the work piece to grip the nail head when embedded in the work piece. 
     
     
       9. The nail puller tool according to  claim 7 , wherein said claw has matching cutouts sized for a certain size nail to allow the said claw to fit over the nail head when engaging the nail in the work piece. 
     
     
       10. The nail puller tool according to  claim 7 , wherein said claw has matching cutouts sized to provide grip for leverage on large-shanked nail. 
     
     
       11. The nail puller tool according to  claim 7 , wherein said pulling tool is made of steel. 
     
     
       12. The nail puller tool according to  claim 6  wherein a “V” ridge is formed at the intersection of a claw angle wall and said “V”-shaped opening forming a concave recess leaving a ridge for the enhanced engaging of a nail head or gripping of a nail shank. 
     
     
       13. A pneumatic nail puller, comprising: 
       a central shaft having a front portion, a longitudinal central axis, and a rear portion;  
       said rear portion forming a shank, said shank being sized and configured as to be received and held by a chuck of a pneumatically driven device; and  
       said front portion of said central shaft central shaft having a claw neck having a claw mounted thereon;  
       wherein said claw having an upper surface and a lower surface and being mounted on said central shaft by said claw neck such that at a acute elevational angle from horizontal is formed between said lower surface of said claw and said central shaft longitudinal central axis;  
       said claw upper surface forming an elevational angle relative to said central shaft longitudinal central axis; and  
       said claw forming a “V”-shaped opening fir receiving a nail head or a nail shank;  
       whereby said nail pulling tool, when mounted in a pneumatically driven device, is moved in a reciprocating manner upon actuation of the pneumatically driven device; and when, said claw is inserted below a nail head in a work piece, said reciprocating nail pulling tool pulls the nail as the claw is moved forward relative to the nail head.  
     
     
       14. The nail puller tool according to  claim 13 , wherein said acute elevational angle is about 25 degrees from horizontal. 
     
     
       15. The nail puller tool according to  claim 13 , wherein said claw has sharp entrance points to assist in digging into the work piece to grip the nail head when embedded in the work piece. 
     
     
       16. The nail puller tool according to  claim 13 , wherein said claw has matching cutouts sized for a certain size nail to allow the said claw to fit over the nail head when engaging the nail in the work piece. 
     
     
       17. The nail puller tool according to  claim 13 , wherein said claw has matching cutouts sized to provide grip for leverage on large-shanked nail. 
     
     
       18. The nail puller tool according to  claim 13 , wherein a “V” ridge is formed at the intersection of a claw angle wall and said “V”-shaped opening forming a concave recess leaving a ridge for the enhanced engaging of a nail head or gripping of a nail shank.